Optimizing dambo (seasonal wetland) cultivation for climate change adaptation and sustainable crop production in the smallholder farming areas of Zimbabwe

摘要

Most smallholder farming areas of Zimbabwe have low soil fertility and low rainfall, which hascontinually decreased over the past years. In recent years, most of the smallholder farmingareas have experienced perennial droughts, poor rainfall distribution and crop failures andthese have been attributed to climate change and variability. Cultivation of dambos, whichare seasonal wetlands, presents a climate change and variability adaptation option forsmallholder farmers. This synthesis analyses the role of dambo cultivation in climate changeand variability adaptation and discusses future directions for sustainable dambo utilization.The data on current dambo farming practices were collected from literature, surveys andfield observations. The results showed that farmers grow crops in dambos as an adaptivestrategy to climate change and variability and have largely abandoned upland fields whereyields are ,1 t ha21 in preference of dambos where yields average 2–3 t ha21. Dambocultivation offers a buffer against crop failures and has resulted in improved household foodsecurity. We conclude that dambo cultivation is a potentially beneficial farmer-drivenclimate change and variability adaptation strategy. However, if not properly designed andmanaged, dambo cultivation may result in their degradation hence there is need for furtherresearch to evaluate options for sustainable dambo utilization as intensification of damboagriculture is important for food security.